When I’m in line at the grocery store, I never know where to look.  You can’t stare at the person in front of you, if you look at the food on the belt you could be perceived as judging.  Frankly, I just want to buy my food.  I don’t care what you do or don’t have in your cart.  Sometimes I think the person near me is judging my purchases.  They are probably caught in that same awkward moment I am.

That general feeling that people are judging your body size – probably isn’t happening either.  When was the last time you walked around anywhere judging the size of everyone you see?  Why do we assume everyone is judging us?  Is it because a few people have done it and we know it CAN happen?  Most likely, it’s because we are uncomfortable in our own skin.

Often, we assume that everyone is looking at us the same way we look at ourselves.  We think everyone notices that imperfection we see in the mirror.  Perhaps, if we stop judging ourselves we won’t feel that constant judgment out in public.  The more comfortable we are in our own skin, the more comfortable we will be in public.

Here is a great reminder from Dove that we are often our harshest critics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpaOjMXyJGk

Two months ago, I decided to lace up my sneakers and give running a try. The first day was brutal! I knew if I was going to stick with it, I needed a goal. There is a local, charity race called the Piggy Trot, for a great cause with a flat and pretty course. I also knew that many people walk this event so I wouldn’t be embarrassed by my lack of speed.

My husband has been running for years and I asked him if he was interested in running with me. He was on board and the adventure began. He continued with his usual running routine and I began my training.

There were so many days that I wanted to walk on that treadmill and restart. Thanks to my (slightly crazy) inner dialogue, I kept going. My husband and I ventured out and did a trial run on the course. This was a huge help. At the time I realized how much work I had left to do; but I really appreciated it on race day.

One of my good friends ran outside with me about a week before the race. Again, I realized that I wasn’t going to be super speedy but I was getting better. It took a lot of work and dedication (not to mention amazing support) – it was so worth it!

Words can’t describe how cool it was to be running (and walking) with hundreds of like-minded people. There were people as far as I could see in front of me and behind me. I was in a good group, people were walking and jogging alongside me. I had to swallow my ego and accept the young kids passing me and focus on my goal. It was truly a balance of feeling a sense of community and reaching personal goals.

As I was nearing the finish line, my cheering section was great. My youngest ran out and joined me as I finished. Acquaintances, friends and family were cheering me on and giving high-fives at the finish.

It was a rush as I crossed the finish line. I hit my goal for time and finished my first race. It was an amazing day. My husband and I have the bug. We are looking into other races, but none of them will be my first.

If you are considering a race, pick one that fits your goals. It should push you and let you be successful. Best of luck! I hope you find the joy in accomplishing your goals

On Thursday, I was lucky enough to spend the day in New York City (one of my favorite places) with fitness bloggers for Fitness Magazine’s Meet and Tweet (#FitBlogNYC). What a lucky lady!

The day was filled with meeting amazing people, both speakers and fellow bloggers. As everything has been settling in my brain, I realized while each speaker spoke about different aspects of health, the consistent theme was to embrace yourself and your journey. It was discussed through beauty tips from Sarah Lucero, health tips from Dr Jennifer Ashton, the amazing panel for My Blog is My Business (Deb Perelman, Dana Weiss, Jill Hanner and Erin Whitehead), extreme fitness with Brett Hoebel and cooking with Rocco DiSpirito.

Sarah Lucero, Executive Director of Global Artistry at Stila Cosmetics and make-up artist for celebrities, gave lots of great advice and courageously shared her battle with stage 3 breast cancer. While she gave make-up tips that included matching your cheek and lip color, importance of good mascara and matching the weight of your make-up to the weight of your clothes, Sarah also spoke about the importance of caring for yourself. She emphasized “fixing the problem” by getting enough sleep and eating healthy for helping diminish dark circles under your eyes and clearer skin. The idea is to take care of yourself and let make-up highlight, not hide, your face.

Dr. Ashton, ABC News senior Medical Contributor, ob-gym, triathlete, and author of the book Your Body Beautiful: Clockstopping Secrets to Staying Healthy, Strong and Sexy in your 30s, 40s and Beyond, began her talk about Angelina Jolie. She explained that not only is Angelina a hero, but all women facing cancer and potentially facing cancer are heroes. Dr Ashton, went on to talk about the importance of having a great relationship with your doctor, and taking care of your whole body. She recommended the 5/2 diet, where you eat healthy and clean for 5 days and enjoy what you want on the weekends. The theory is that over time your body will adjust to the healthier foods and crave less of the junk foods. In addition to eating well, Dr. Ashton talked about the need to move and incorporate physical activity in your daily routine. Finally, a quote that has stuck with me “Life is an Olympic event, you have to train everyday!”

My Blog is My Business was an amazing panel that included Dana Weiss (Possessionista), Deb Perelman (Smitten Kitchen), Jill Hanner (Ford Fiesta agent) and Erin Whitehead (Fit Bottomed Girls). These women are excellent role models for all bloggers. Again the theme was being yourself and not letting others bring you down. Some key points were to blog for you, be unique, and don’t obsess over numbers. Another general point was to know your vision and your value. This can be applied to advertising, book deals and any sponsor-ships  The more you are yourself, the more successful you will be!

Brett Hoebel, founder of Hoebel Fitness, featured trainer on The Biggest Loser season 11 and creator of RevAbs, talked about extreme fitness trends. Having taken his class in the past, I can tell you – he kicks your a** in 20 minutes without a lot of gimmicks. His point is always to maximize your time and give your all. As he talked about new trends, he pointed out the social aspect of fitness. There is an element of bragging about extreme races and workouts that leads to peer pressure and people who are not prepared are getting hurt. The key is to be yourself, work hard and as Brett says, “get breathless”.

Rocco DiSpirito, author of Now Eat This! Italian and star of Now Eat This! Italy web series on AOL, talked about the importance of cooking at home. Rocco was clear that eating healthy is not more expensive than eating unhealthy; your friends should support you in ordering low-calorie options at restaurants; cooking at home is a step in the right direction and try to be social when eating. Again, it comes back to doing what’s best for you and making healthy decisions.

Life is a journey, finding yourself and your goals can be difficult; but embracing your uniqueness, training for your own Olympic event and getting breathless will help you on your way!

Thank you to everyone at Fitness Magazine! Betty Wong, Mary Christ Anderson, Christie Griffin, Lisa Haney, Heather Muir, and Pam O’Brien, you were all amazing bringing insight and inspiration to all of us in attendance!

I will be writing about our amazing yoga class with Tara Stiles and all of the new friends I made in later posts

Not even two moths ago, this would have been my response. Making running a priority, let alone two miles wouldn’t have crossed my mind. Now, it’s my reality.

In a little over a week, I will be running (more of a jog) my first race. My goal remains finishing, not winning. This journey has been a struggle; yet more satisfying than I could have imagined.

Ironically, my schedule has become crazy. My running plan has been tweaked along the way. I have been fortunate enough to add new classes to my teaching schedule. This has caused me to find different times for running and make sure I get it in. So, yes, I snuck in a two mile run.

Each time I start on the treadmill or get outside, I have to work through wanting to stop. Thankfully, I have an ego that won’t let me quit. Each time I’m pushing myself, I focus on my goal. I remind myself that I won’t reach my goal if I don’t make the time.

When I finish my run, I couldn’t be happier! Yes, because I’m done but also because I accomplished something I never thought I could. The feeling of my accomplishment lasts the entire day.

Where are you on your journey? Continue down the road and find the amazing sense of accomplishment for yourself!

This week has been busy with extra classes and chaperoning field trips. We are lucky enough to live on Cape Cod and enjoy field trips to the beach. However, this is New England and spring is a moving target. We swing from winter to summer for months and then summer arrives.

On Tuesday, I accompanied my son’s kindergarten class to a coastal nature sanctuary. It was beautiful and warm. Today (Friday), I went with my older son’s class to the same sanctuary to go exploring on the tidal flats. The weather, decided to go back to winter. It was cold, windy and just yucky as we trekked through the water onto the flats.

Sadly, the weather doesn’t care what our plans are for field trips or workouts. There are many days when getting to the gym or class just seems yucky. Just like the kids persevered and looked for critters – it’s time to get that workout in. The conditions are rarely perfect.

They say there’s no such thing as bad weather just bad clothing. The next time the weather isn’t cooperating or you’re just not feeling it – tie those sneakers and get out there. You’ll feel great when you are done!

The easiest way to see the difference is by standing sideways and looking in the mirror. Pay attention to your back as you pull your belly button towards your spine and up a little towards your rib cage. Notice if your shoulders are falling forward and gently bring them back so your chest is open and stand tall.

If you are sucking in, your shoulders and ribs will be towards the front and you won’t be able to breathe easily. The more often you engage your core, the more natural it will feel. Take the time throughout your day to notice your core.

Here is a quick video showing you how to engage your core…

Unlike Newtown, where we could hide the news from our boys (6 and 8), they saw the story and knew their friends were there. I was, thankfully, able to tell them their friends were safe. The questions began about who would do this and why. I started with there are bad people and ended with “I don’t know”. They hated “I don’t know” and felt I was hiding some big secret from them.

Someday, they will learn – Mommy really didn’t know how someone could do this. They have seen the fear an act like this creates and learned at a young age there are monsters in the world.

Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Boston as yet again I look to my young children and I can’t imagine the pain another mother is feeling. We have to come together and make positive changes. We shouldn’t have to shield our children from news of their peers dying. There is too much good in the world to allow these acts. Come together, don’t point fingers and name call – be the positive change!

I find the first 6-15 minutes of a tough workout to be the hardest. When I’m taking a class that’s out of my comfort zone, I have to keep going. The treadmill is entirely different. I often cop out and tell myself, “15 minutes is better than 0 minutes”. This is true, but it won’t help me reach the next step.

Having signed up for a charity run and telling everyone that I’m doing it, I can’t give up after 15 minutes. Not jogging and getting off the treadmill isn’t going to get me to my goal. Luckily, my ego steps in and reminds me that I have to keep going.

When I’m in a hard class, I feel better after I get through those first 15 minutes. Turns out, I feel better jogging after the first 15 minutes. The discipline is harder on the treadmill but worth it! I always feel a greater sense of accomplishment when I stick with it and reach new goals.

Let your ego step in and push you through the hard part. You will be excited as you pass each personal best! Keep going!!

In a world where people are eliminating entire food groups or living on juice and lemon water for a quick fix; it’s refreshing to find solid, maintainable and frankly, common sense advice. Jillian Michaels lays everything out, utilizing her no-nonsense approach with options and lots of information.

She begins with the basics of eating and moving then takes you through simple solutions for being on the go, social and simply busy. Each chapter has a variety of tips and each tip is allotted points. Jillian writes ” the tips I’ve given a 3 rating (the power tips) are all top priority”, the 1s and 2s are meant to be easier lifestyle changes that you can make quickly. This allows you to make decisions that fit in your lifestyle and eliminates a one size fits all approach.

The book is filled with great information. Personally, I enjoy the reason behind my decisions. If you are looking for someone to tell you what do and aren’t worried about the reason – skip over the big words and focus on her overall message. It’s worth it!

One of my favorite aspects is throughout the book, Jillian gives you boxes on the side with “slim myths”. As a fitness instructor, I hear them all the time and it’s great to see them acknowledged and answered. Be sure to read each one, even if you think you know the reason, there is great, new information.

My husband and I are maintaining our weight and found lots of great information that applies to us. I originally bought this book thinking I would share it with family and friends (which I will) but I am happy to have it as a resource. This is a book that I will go back to and use regularly. Regardless of where you are in your health journey, this book has something for you!

We often think about exercise being a good time to get out of our heads. Exercise can help us organize our thoughts and it can help us find our inner champion.

We might be walking or running, trying a new pose in yoga or lifting weights. Wherever we are, it takes mental strength to go further. As I approach the last minute on the treadmill and I’m ready to quit; I start cheering myself on. The music and external factors aren’t going to take me to the finish. I have to push myself.

My inner dialogue is definitely yelling that I can do this, I have it. I even use my name in my head. Everyone approaches the final push with different motivation. Take the time to discover what is your trigger – what internal motivation takes you to the next step.

Go after it!